LSG Star Adds First-Class Five-Wicket Haul In Ranji Trophy To Stellar Batting Record | Cricket News

Ayush Badoni is playing a match-winning role for Delhi (Picture credit: BCCI)

Star Delhi batter Ayush Badoni on Friday added his first first-class five-wicket haul to a brilliant batting record in the Ranji Trophy, as his team took on Hyderabad at the NextGen Cricket Ground. Delhi, who are leading by 129 runs at the end of the third day’s play, will look to bag a first-innings lead.

Badoni scored 53 in the first innings, supporting double centurions Sanat Sangwan (211) and Ayush Doseja (209) as Delhi piled up 529/4 before declaring.

Badoni then shone with the ball, claiming his maiden five-for. Bowling off-breaks, he struck first in the 15th over, trapping the set Rahul Singh LBW for 35.

Hyderabad built a strong stand between Tanmay Agarwal and Aniketh Reddy, but Badoni broke the partnership by removing the latter for 87.

In the same over, Badoni trapped India T20I star Tilak Varma LBW for a duck, turning Hyderabad’s score from 205/1 to 205/3 in just two deliveries.

Badoni struck again, trapping Kodimela Himateja LBW for 29, before claiming his fifth wicket by bowling Rohit Rayudu for just three. Hyderabad finished the day at 400/7.

Hyderabad still need 130 runs to bag a first-innings lead and although the Next-Gen ground track favours batting, the hosts are down to wicketkeeper Rahul Radesh (41*) and the tail-enders.

With figures of 5/69 at stumps on day three, Badoni registered his best bowling performance in first-class cricket, going past his previous best of 4/43 against Chhattisgarh in last season’s Ranji Trophy.

Notably, Badoni picked up another four-for (4/57) about a month later in the same season as well, against Chandigarh.

Badoni came into the game with 17 first-class matches to his name and a bowling average of 21.6.

Badoni’s maiden five-for further enhances his brilliant first-class record with the bat. He has amassed 1,444 runs at a remarkable average of 62.78, including four hundreds, two of them double centuries and five fifties.

Badoni burst onto the scene in IPL 2022, scoring a match-winning 54 off 41 deliveries on debut to rescue the Lucknow Super Giants from 29/4 against the Gujarat Titans.